Hwajinpo Lake (화진포(화진포호)) - Area information - Korea travel information

Hwajinpo Lake (화진포(화진포호))

12.8Km    2021-08-10

Geojin-eup, Goseong-gun, Gangwon-do
+82-33-680-3677

Hwajinpo Lake is the largest lagoon in Korea with its sand made from seashells and rocks that were broken down over thousands of years. With soft sand and shallow waters, it is a popular beach location. In winter, various migratory birds and swans can be seen, as the birds enjoy clean water and food from the field of reeds. Because of its excellent scenery, Kim Il-seong of North Korea and the former South Korean President Rhee Syngman and Vice-president Lee Ki-poong had summer houses here. It also has Hwajinpo Museum of History with more than 40,000 artifacts from 1,500 species.

Castle at Hwajinpo (화진포의 성(김일성별장))

13.2Km    2025-01-10

280 Hwajinpo-gil, Goseong-gun, Gangwon-do
+82-33-680-3677

The Castle of Hwajinpo was the summer retreat for Kim Ilsung, former leader of North Korea, and his family from 1948 to 1950. Photos of the family on vacation there show Kim Jungil as a young boy of six years. The building was constructed entirely of stone in 1938 by a German architect for the Sherwood Hall missionary family, and features a basement level and two above-ground floors. The house is now open to the public, with an exhibition of how the house was used by the Kim family, faithfully recreated from photographic research.

Hwajinpo History & Security Museum (화진포역사안보전시관)

13.4Km    2021-07-20

33, Iseungmanbyeoljang-gil, Goseong-gun, Gangwon-do
+82-33-680-3677

Next to Hwajinpo Lake and a dense forest of pine trees lays Hwajinpo History and Security Museum. Its premier location near amazing ecological sites makes the museum a popular destination to pay a visit. The museum holds goods used during warfare and other historical remains of former presidents. Various government officials had private villas in the area including former president Syngman Rhee.

Villa of Rhee Syngman (이승만별장(고성))

13.4Km    2025-01-15

33, Iseungmanbyeoljang-gil, Goseong-gun, Gangwon-do
+82-33-682-0500

During the 1950's, three leaders, namely Kim Ilsung, Rhee Syngman and Lee Ki-poong had summer houses built around the lake of Hwajinpo. The villa of Rhee Syngman, Korea's first president, was built in 1954 but fell into a state of disuse by 1961. It was not repaired until July of 1997 by the army, and was fully restored in 1999, opening as an exhibition hall.

Villa of Lee Ki-poong (이기붕별장)

13.6Km    2022-09-08

300-1, Hwajinpo-gil, Goseong-gun, Gangwon-do
+82-33-680-3677

The villa of Lee Ki-poong is located between the villas of Rhee Syngman and Kim Ilsung on the shores of Hwajinpo Lake. The villa was originally built by foreign missionaries in the 1920s. It was used as vacation villa by the Northern communist party's executives before the Korean War broke out, and was turned into a private residence by Lee, the Vice-president to President Rhee, and his wife Maria Park after the cease-fire agreement.

Pine Ridge Resort Villa (파인리즈리조트 빌라)

13.7Km    2025-03-16

267, Jaembeoridong-ro, Goseong-gun, Gangwon-do
+82-33-630-6700

Pine Ridge Resort Villa is an independent high-class golf and spa resort with 168 rooms located on the golf course. The villa offers comfort and relaxation in a European-style villa. The rooms provide open views to the beautiful natural landscape of the surrounding golf course.

The resort’s spa facility uses a hot spring for its water source that is rich in alkaline with an optimal temperature at 45 degrees Celsius. Guests can enjoy the utmost comfort and convenience through these superb facilities and services. Subsidiary facilities include golf practice range, banquet hall, Azalea retail shop, restaurants, café, and more.

Hwajinpo Beach [National Geopark] (화진포 (강원평화지역 국가지질공원))

14.0Km    2021-06-23

Hyeonnae-myeon, Goseong-gun, Gangwon-do
+82-33-249-3881

Hwajinpo Lake is the largest lagoon in Korea, created by a section of the ocean being closed off when two opposing sand spits merged. This unique formation and the ecosystem that came to live on the sand bar are highly valued. The water in the lagoon was a mix of fresh and salt water, creating a special environment for aquatic animals of both types to live together. The lake is in the shape of a figure eight, with the southern lake being larger than the northern lake, although the northern lake is still connected with the ocean through a small stream.

Hwajinpo Beach (화진포해수욕장)

14.5Km    2024-12-10

Opened in 1973, Hwajinpo Beach is a stretch of white sand made of monazite, a fine sand made of crushed shells and rocks over tens of thousands of years. Monazite sand makes a distinct sound when stepped on and repels ants. The beach is 1.7 kilometer long, about 70 meters wide, and 1.5 meters in average depth. The beach attracts many tourists with its fine white sand, clear waters, and shallow depths. Its view is characterized by scenic landscape of handsome rock formations and lush pine forests surrounding the massive Hwajinpo Lake. The area is home to the Villa of Kim Il-sung, the Villa of Syngman Rhee, the Villa of Lee Ki-poong, and Hwajinpo Maritime Museum. The scenic view of the bamboo forest on Geumgudo Island and the seagulls flying over the water will leave visitors in awe. 

Kensington Resort Seorak Beach (켄싱턴리조트 설악비치)

14.7Km    2025-03-16

4800, Donghae-daero, Goseong-gun, Gangwon-do
+82-33-631-7601

Kensington Resort Seorak Beach is surrounded by mountains and ocean as well as creeks and fields. Due to its location by the beach, visitors can enjoy the view of the ocean as well as Seoraksan Mountain in the backdrop. Visitors can play in the sand and the water at the beach in front of the resort. The rooms provide cozy yet modern feel with various concepts to meet all the needs. Subsidiary facilities include banquet hall, education classroom, seawater sauna, singing room, nightclub, local specialty store, arcade and more.

Hwajinpo Lake (화진포)

15.1Km    2024-12-10

Hwajinpo Lake is one of the most famous lagoons in Korea. It is connected to the East Sea and blessed with natural light, with dense pine forests spreading like folding screens around the vast lake, which covers an area of 238ha. The beach is shallow, clear, and has a great view of the Geumgudo Island, making it popular among tourists. In winter, the area also serves as a refuge for migratory birds, including Natural Monuments like swans. Indeed, the view of the swans dancing over the lake brings to mind Tchaikovsky’s masterpiece. The reason why migratory birds head to Hwajinpo Lake is because of its clean water and the abundant food within its reed beds. The surrounding areas are home to the Castle of Hwajinpo (Villa of Kim Il-sung), Villa of Syngman Rhee, and Hwajinpo Maritime Museum, home to nearly 40,000 exhibits of 1,500 rare shellfish, coral, fish species and fossils, along with historic sites like dolmens. The area is a vital habitat to many aquatic creatures like carp, grey mullet, leather carp, and snakehead.